You’re Invited!!

My recent trip to NYC to visit with the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation and the support group they sponsor was a concession to the Girl’s mental state regarding my illness. The Foundation was sponsoring a fund raising dinner in New Jersey, and 12 or so of us lucky patients were to be on hand to show the good people we were in fact real and that their money would be providing the only funding available for research, since our government has failed to produce a single dime to support the effort.

Before the dinner, the patients and their guests gathered in a small hotel meeting room to hear the current status of research being done at M.D. Anderson. It was the first time I had ever met anyone with the same condition. Some had reached a state of inactivity either through drugs or surgery; some continue to fight on a daily basis. I was lucky to count myself in the former. A researcher presented an encouraging packet of information, the result of the last year of work done for, and funded by this group. It was a rare instance for this doctor to see the faces of the people touched by her work.

The Girl has been very active in helping the foundation raise money, and the financial support given by our friends and family has been emotionally overwhelming for us both. If I knew my friends had so much money I would have done a lot more drugs back in the ‘70s, but now that I think about it, I’m not sure that would have been physically possible. The Girl helped a little bit more at the dinner, winning a silent auction for two tickets for the Red Carpet Box at the 2008 Oscar Awards in LA. I bought a watch at the same auction, figuring any money I donated at this point was a win/win for me, and if all else failed and my doctor said I only had 24 hours to live, at least I would have an accurate watch.

In all, the evening raised over a quarter of a million dollars, enough to keep the wheels turning for another year. For more information, or to send a donation visit Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation. Be sure and mention my name, I get free syringe of Demerol for every five thousand dollars.

On the home front, my first official (and professional) show is this Sunday, July 15, 2007. If you can be in the Monterey area, I always enjoy meeting a deviant. Here is a copy of the invitation:

~Come Enjoy~

Fine art photography exhibit of h. Ford Pierson and fundraiser for the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation

Presented at Bernardus Lodge, 415 Carmel Valley Road, Carmel Valley CA

Sunday, July 15, 2007 - 1:00 to 5:00 pm

Meet the photographer, Enjoy excellent food & wine…

Raise money for the Desmoid Tumor Research Foundation. A portion of all proceeds will be donated to the fund. Together we can find a cure!